Atomization of an extinguishing agent into microfine particles by means of an explosive with the aim of extinguishing fires, is known. During detonation of a preferably high-explosive charge within or in the vicinity of a homogenous medium such as, for example, water, a pressure of several thousand bar is developed, so that the water is atomized into microfine particles and is thrown by the resultant pressure wave from the center of the explosive charge into the surrounding area. By a high-explosive charge is meant one which develops a detonation wave with a propagation speed of above 5000 meters per second. The mist of extinguishing agent, such agent used, and due to the small size of the individual droplets of extinguishing agent in relation to amount of such agent used, surface area, by means of which the extinguishing agent is applied to the fire in the neighborhood of the detonated container and extinguishes it by means of the known supercooling effect. In addition, the extinguishing effect during detonation of an extinguishing agent also results in a known way from the blowing-out effect of the detonation wave.
There are known from U.S. Pat. No. 1,119,779 and from EP 390 384 fire extinguishers provided for stationary use, and which utilized the effect described above of detonation of an extinguishing agent. These known devices for extinguishing fires have a cylindrical container for receiving an extinguishing agent, and a concentrically-disposed elongate internal container which extends in the longitudinal direction in the extinguishing agent container, and which is filled with an explosive charge.
From EP 488 536 there is known such a fire extinguisher, in which the explosive charge, in contrast to the fire extinguishers described above, is attached externally to the extinguishing agent container.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,139 and FR 1 473 621 respectively disclose a "fire-extinguishing bomb" comprising a cylindrical glass or plastics container for receiving an extinguishing agent, and also comprising a cylindrical, concentrically-disposed internal container, which in turn contains the explosive material. The difference between these fire-extinguishing bombs and the fire extinguishers described before consists purely in the ignition of the explosive, which is effected in the bombs either by a radio signal or by the effect of heat when the fire-extinguishing bomb is thrown into a fire.
All the fire-extinguishing devices described above have a common disadvantage, namely that, in practical use in extinguishing fires, they are insufficiently flexible and effective. Thus stationary fire extinguishers always have only a localized effect, so that fire-protection over a large area, or also in large-area firefighting, are impracticable for economic reasons, as too many of this type of fire-extinguisher would have to be used. With respect to mobile firefighting, for example in forest or other terrain fires, the "fire-extinguishing bombs" described have proved disadvantageous, as when the extinguishing bomb is launched they do not exert a directed extinguishing effect due to the detonation, and moreover, rather fan the flames when they are ignited in the center of the fire. Finally, launching these extinguishing devices over the seat of the fire is, to a great extent, complex and cost-intensive, not to mention unsatisfactory as regards hit accuracy.